It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
- Theodore Roosevelt
Right now I need a anthem to grab ahold of to carry me through this storm. I've always liked this quote but it is hitting home deeper in me now. It's funny how God is pacing with me in His word, classes, work, the music on the radio, the random stuff on TV. He is always by my side in the good and the bad.
Lately there has been allot of "bad". I say that in quotes because that could be of how allot of people could of perceive it to be. But honestly my bad really isn't that bad at all. Its more stupid disorganization vs. life threatening cancer. No prison time, no loss of limbs, the house didn't burn down just allot of miscommunication, friendly fire, and not taking care of what I should of been.
The Accuser is screaming a constant stream of doubt, fear, self devaluing, forever statements in my head.I'm stupid, I'm a loser, Ill always end up alone, I haven't changed at all, blah, blah, blah. Its echoed in real life by allot of people who sit in glass houses. Good Christians preaching unconditional love how we should swim in God's mercy and grace but not walking it out. I cant hate on them I tend to do the same when its close to home.
So this really reaches out to me to encourages me to keep on keeping on. To stay engaged in this life instead of just tuning out. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Tim 6:12 To stay in the fight is hard when you haven't had a victory in a while. But I have had victory, allot of it! When the crap it the fan I had victory in getting tighter with God, I saw true friends step up, a church getting my back, family rally, all these are good things. I should be so inspired how God as the Father has come to rescue me, so i choose to be today.
It also serves to remind me to be humble. Allot of people are trying and coming up short. It's easy for me to sit on a throne of false pride and Lord knows I have done it more than my share. It bite me in the rear to take up Patrick's challenge of reading Philippians each day because it gets stuck in my head. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 The Enemy did his best to dislodge this but when the dust settled it was still hidden in my heart. Now if I could just put on a flash drive to my head!
"Be kind to everyone you meet, they are fighting a great battle as well" - Plato
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